


Life to Dreams

by DragonLover19



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Adventure, Bad Parenting Mention, Dreams, Mabel Pines Being Mabel Pines, Mystery, Secrets, Slice of Life, Stan Tries to Be a Good Role Model, Swearing, day to day life, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-01 15:26:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15146099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonLover19/pseuds/DragonLover19
Summary: Dipper and Mabel are sent to live with their Great Uncle for the summer. Hoping for a new start, they try to make the best out of this summer while they can. But dark secrets hide behind the shadows. The sky shifts to odd colors. Grass is blue. And animals suddenly have the capability to speak!Weird how no one else seems to notice these things.





	1. ?

_I DID WHAT YOU TOLD ME TO DO! NOW PLEASE! **PLEASE!** KEEP YOUR END OF THE DEAL! Make this end! Make this suffering you put me through end!_

_…_

_THERE_ ARE _NO MORE SHADOWS! I’VE CHECKED! I’VE SEEN EACH PATH AND THERE’S NOT A SINGLE ONE LEFT! WE’VE GIVEN YOU ALL OF THEM! THERE’S NONE MORE!_

_…_

_WHAT?! No. NO! You’re lying! You can’t see what_ I _see! You can’t see the paths like **I** can! We cleansed this town of shadows! There’s no one left who—_

_…_

_… others? What others?_

_…_

_Outsiders? HERE? … No. I refuse._

_…_

_I can’t look into_ everyone’s _paths. I have my limits. The voice isn’t strong with me and you know it would be breaking the law if we took outsiders._

_…_

_YOU’RE NOT LISTENING! I’M **THROUGH!** Threaten Me If You Like! You know they won’t take me! If I’m gone then you have no Voice! You will no longer have the one who sees the paths and the outcome! I am _ **UNTOUCHABLE _!_**

_…_

_… Silent for once?_ Good _. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to punch your stupid face to make you shut up. You may be the Listener, but you are useless without the Voice._

_…_

_Oh for the love of! SHUT! UP! I don’t_ **CARE** _about the stinking consequences! I—!_

_…_

_Look! I. Don’t. CARE! I’m going home. Packing whatever shit I have left. And I’m getting the FUCK out of here! Have fun trying to save this place. Not that there’s much to save any more._

_…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_… I warned you._


	2. Night Arrival

_Do you ever wonder what it’s like to suddenly be put into a situation that you never saw coming no matter how hard you prepared yourself for it and it still sneaks up on you? That’s how I felt when we were suddenly packed and put on a bus heading for this place called Gravity Falls. It just came out of the blue. I didn’t have time react or protest about it before our parents started to shove us towards the bus with our luggage in our arms._

_I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye when I realized what was happening. Luckily I’m not the only one. Mabel had been quiet for at least ten minutes, something I didn’t think was possible for her to accomplish, before she started listing off the things we could do at this new place we’re going to. I think dad mentioned someone called Uncle Stan? I think he’s the person we’re staying with for the summer? Not sure. I’ve only heard that name a couple times from grandpa Shermy._

_I think I remember him saying he had an older brother? He doesn’t really talk much about his past. Still, we never met the guy before. What’s he like? Where does he live? How old is he? Is he senile? Does he even know we’re coming? Does he remember we’re coming? Is he nice? Is he friendly? Is he capable of handling two 12 year olds? What does he do in his spare time? Does he even like kids?_

_There’s so many questions I can’t answer yet. I wish this never happened. What a way to spend the summer with some old guy who probably doesn’t want anything to do with us. At least Mabel is trying to stay positive._

* * *

It was practically already dark when the bus made it to the station. The sky was black with stars already coming out and there was no one around besides me and Mabel. It was a little cold out but not too bad. I was the first off with Mabel close behind me. It felt like we were stepping into a whole new world as we stared up at the small building we didn’t recognize.

It looked kind of similar to the bus station we would see out the corner of our eyes when we went to school or picking up grandpa when he came over for a visit. But the one we were used to seeing looked like a decent bus station. This one looked older and worn down. It had stains and cracks in its stone walls. Weeds were overgrown and took over at one side of the building’s walls. The double doors looked rusted with a busted window on the right. The sign that hung over the doors was barely functioning, so I could barely make out the words WELCOME TO GRAVITY FALLS! Most of the letters didn’t light up and the Y in gravity hung upside down.

“Well this looks homey!” Mabel smiled, looking at the station with her always present grin on her face. “It just needs a few stickers and a paint job and it’ll be as good as new!”

I couldn’t help but grin a little. Mabel always had a way of staying positive in any situation. She could only see the bright side of things with a smile on her face and shining attitude.

“So, should we go in?” Mabel pressed one hand against the door, only to frown a moment later. She placed both of her hands against the door and tried to shove the doors open but they wouldn’t budge.

“Maybe you pull them open?” I went up to the doors and tried pulling one open. It didn’t budge either. “Great, don’t tell me it’s locked!” I groaned, giving up after shaking the door a few more times.

“Well that stinks!” Mabel huffed, placing her fists on her hip. She looked at the building carefully, walking around to one corner and back to the other. “Looks like there’s no way in.” She shrugged as she picked up her bag.

“And we’re already we’re having a great start at summer.” I said with deep sarcasm in my voice. “Now what are we supposed to do?”

Mabel tilted her head. “Wasn’t there someone mom and dad said would pick us up here? Uncle Steve?”

“Stan. Actually.” I corrected. “The only problem is that we don’t know what he looks like or if he knows that we’re coming and needs to pick us up.”

Mabel made a soft hum noise before her face perked back up. “I know! We can try phoning him!”

“Mabel, we don’t even know his phone number. Or if he’ll even answer at this hour!” I sighed deeply. “Maybe we should find someplace safe to sleep to—” My sentence was cut short by someone shouting at the other side of the station. I looked at my twin, both confused and a little curious. Grabbing our things, we went around the corner to the front.

There were two men standing there. Some old dude in a black suit was yelling at a younger man who looked bored of the old man’s ranting.

“Please, sir, for the fifth time today. The bus station is closed. Not a single bus is going to come by at this hour.”

“N’ I’m tellin’ ya that my family 's supposed ta be arrivin’ right now! Ya can’t jus’ close the place up now!”

“Sir it’s late. The last bus left over an hour ago and none are due to arrive this time of night. I’m sure that your family will be coming in the morning on the morning bus.”

“No they ain’t! My brother called sayin’ his grand kids were comin’ ta stay with me this summer n’ were arrivin’ _today_!”

“Maybe your brother mixed up the schedule and had the dates wrong.”

“ _Shermy wouldn’t mix up nothin’!_ ”

We looked at each other stunned. He couldn’t have meant our grandpa Shermy, could he?

“Scuse me!” Mabel stepped out before I could stop her as she went over to both men, catching their attention. “Hi! Quick question here. Your name wouldn’t happen to be Stan Pines right?”

The old man flinched when Mabel looked at him. “Depends. It could be or it couldn’t.”

The younger sighed, rolling his eyes. “Come on Stanford, everyone knows it is you’re name. Wouldn’t be surprised if your name reached other states by now.” The younger man huffed under his breath quietly.

The older man, Stanford, shot a glare at the young who quickly raised his arms in a peace motion before turning to my sister. “Fine, yeah. I am Stan Pines. Who’s askin’?”

Mabel smiled up at him, showing her braces. “So _you’re_ grandpa Shermy’s older brother! Nice to meet you!”

Stanford’s eyes widened when she mentioned our grandfather. “Wait, you’re Shermy’s grand kid?”

“Yeah!” Mabel stuck out a hand for him to shake. “My name’s Mabel! I like kitties and unicorns! Oh! And stickers! And glitter, and macaroni art, and sweaters, and hair styles, and color, and dresses, and games, and sugar, and paint—” And at this point Mabel kept listing off the very many things that she enjoyed as Stanford watched her with bewilderment.

It seemed to be the right time to step out and approach my twin while keeping an eye on Stanford. I didn’t like the look of him and didn’t trust his word about being our grandfather’s brother just yet. Plus there was something about him that made me feel a little uncomfortable about him.

He only noticed me when I stood beside Mabel. “N’ you are?”

“Dipper.” I answered, keeping my sentence short as I looked over our supposed great uncle. He looked old, probably in his 50’s or 60’s. It was hard to tell, but he was defiantly old. He had a strong jaw line with a large amount a stubble on his face. When did this guy last shave? There was a large, droopy, pear-shaped, bumpy, reddish-pinkish nose on his face along with large ears. Grey strands of hair stuck out under the red fez on top his head with a strange gold symbol on it that I didn’t recognize.

He squinted his eyes at me from behind the large square glasses. “… you two are twins, ain’t cha?”

“Yeah.” I glanced down, somehow finding it difficult to look him in the eyes.

“Ptff! Of _course_ we’re twins!” Mabel suddenly jumped in, slinging an arm around my shoulders and brought me into a side hug that was a liiiiittle too tight. “Can’t you see the striking resemblance? We’re practically identical!”

“Because we’re _twins_ Mabel. Most twins look alike.” I pointed out, trying to get free of the hug that was totally not crushing me right now. I stopped when I heard soft chuckling and looked to see Stanford shaking his head with a smile.

“Yup. You two are defiantly Shermy’s kids.”

“And how are you sure? We only met like, four minutes ago.”

“Yer grandpa keeps me updated on you two through the mail. Tells me all ‘bout you two when ya visit him n’ what ya act like.”

I frowned. I still didn’t trust him yet. “What’s our grandpa’s favorite candy?” I knew the question was out of the blue and random, but if he really was our ‘uncle’ he should know that—

“Shermy doesn’t like candy. Keep’s sayin’ they’re too sweet enough to rot someone’s mouth off their face.”

My mouth fell open. That’s exactly what grandpa Shermy would say!

“Yeah! That’s what grandpa Shermy would say! He hates sweets! _All_ of them! What kind of person hates sweets?” Mabel huffed with her cheeks puffed up. She never really accepted that our grandpa never liked sweets when she found out about it. She tried for years to find any type of sweet that our grandpa would like.

“This is nice and all, but now that this whole trouble is behind us, I’ll be taking my leave now.” The other man who we had forgotten about tipped his hat at our ‘uncle’, walking away from us to probably go home.

So it just left the three of us standing there. I didn’t know what to do at this point. I mean, what would anyone do when they met a relative they haven’t seen before for the first time? I don’t know what he likes or if we can get along. And there was _something_ about him that made me feel off and not all that trust worthy.

“So, uh.” Stanford looked at us. “This all yer stuff?”

I nodded. “This is all the stuff we could pack in a short time.” Mabel patted her bag.

Our ‘uncle’ nodded. “Good, good. Uh. So, shall we head home? Or well my place, since yer stayin’ with me.” He turned and waved us to follow him. I shared a look with Mabel before following him to this rickety old looking car.

“Uh, is this thing safe?” I asked, making out the words EL DIABLO etched on the side.

“What? Course she 's! This baby 's a 1965 El Diablo convertible! I’ve driven her fer years!”

Somehow those words weren’t comforting. I didn’t have the courage to ask about all the dents in it or how they got there. I just hopped in the back with Mabel and hoped this summer would go by quickly.

* * *

“WHOOOOAAAAAA! Uncle Stan is this where you live?!”

“Where else would I live?”

“In town? Near civilization? Not deep in the woods, far from people, and nowhere near any hospitals.” I wanted to continue with the list but out ‘uncle’s’ _home_ was nothing like I thought it would be.

Maybe home wasn’t the right word. It was more like a shack than a house. An old, wood rotting, very questioning looking shack. I don’t even know how this place was even standing! It look like it could fall over at any time! How could anyone live here?! Why would anyone live here?! Or even want to be out—

“Mystery Hack?”

My thoughts were interrupted by Mabel. “What?”

“The sign.” Mabel pointed and I followed to where she was looking. “It says Mystery Hack.”

“It’s Mystery Shack kid. The S ‘s jus’ broken.” Stanford walked by, fishing out keys from his pocket. “Should get Soos ta fix it tomorrow.”

“Who’s Soos?”

“He’s my handyman. He fixes stuff that I need fixin’.”

“Do you run a business Great Uncle Stanford?” Mabel asked. I’m surprised someone in his age still worked.

Stanford froze a second. “Uh, yeah ‘bout the name kiddo. How ‘bout you n’ yer brother call me, uh, Grunkle Stan?”

“… Grunkle Stan?” That was a weird name to call him.

“Yeah, ya know. Easier ta remember n’ faster ta say. N’ wastin’ time is wastin’ money is what I liked ta think.” He gave us a smile that didn’t feel like a smile as he opened the door and led us in. “Jus’ don’t use my full name, alright? Feels too long ta use n’ preferred it if people jus’ called me Stan.”

“Why do you want people to just call you Stan?”

“Would you want people ta say yer name if ya didn’t like it?”

“… uh, n-no.” I glanced to the ground, finding it more interesting to look at as we followed him. The inside was pretty dark, not much to make out in the shadows. But ‘Grunkle Stan’ seemed to move around, seemingly knowing where he was going in the dark.

“Oh my gosh!” Mabel exclaimed, stopping us all in our tracks. “It’s you and grandpa!” She pointed to the wall with a framed photo of Stan and grandpa Shermy. Shermy had his arm slung around Stan, both holding fishing poles and wearing fishing hats. There was a big smile on grandpa’s face and Stan…

Guess that just proves that he and grandpa were related. Or, at least knew each other.

“Oh yeah. I remember that. We were fishin’ that day when I went up ta visit.” Stan smiled, somehow this one felt more like a smile than the one he gave us. “Anyway, it’s late. Jus’ head up the stairs till ya reach the attic n’ pick which ever bed ya like. See ya in the mornin’.” Stan walked off, leaving us standing in the hallway.

Mabel looked at me with a smile. “He seems nice.” I only nodded. Sure he was _okay_ , but I still had my doubts about him.

“Wait. Did he say we’re sleeping in the _attic_?”


End file.
